


Family

by smolalienbee



Series: Elijah Kamski's demons [16]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anger, Angst, Canon Related, Canon Universe, Derogatory Language, Dysfunctional Family, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Family Issues, Flashbacks, Gavin Reed Backstory, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hospitals, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Insults, Mental Health Issues, Misgendering, Pre-Canon, Self-Esteem Issues, Slurs, Suicide Attempt, Trans Gavin Reed, this one's pretty heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 18:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16792045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smolalienbee/pseuds/smolalienbee
Summary: Staring into the pale, seemingly lifeless face of his brother, all Gavin can feel is anger.





	Family

**Author's Note:**

> Alriiiightyy, so today we have a... pretty angsty flashback to young Elijah and Gavin. There's some heavy stuff being talked about in this chapter, so for trigger warnings take a look at the tags. I would say enjoy, but I don't feel like this one can be considered enjoyable (even for a low empathy person, such as me).

He was on the phone when Gavin came in.

He thought nothing of it. A conversation on the phone was not out of the ordinary.

Until he saw his face.

His father rarely expressed this much emotion. His range of expression was a lot like Gavin's older brother's, limited at best and nonexistent at worst.

So to see him so… so shocked, shocked and hurt, it was jarring.

Gavin tiptoed around him, trying not to get his attention, quiet as a mouse, even if he kept watching him out of the corner of his eye.

But as soon as he passed by him, he heard him putting away the phone, shuffling, in a hurry.

He tried to get out of sight, but didn't have enough time to do so.

“Gabby, we're going to the hospital. Now.”

Hearing his birth name always made something in his stomach coil, twist, a sickening feeling, a physical pain.

He wanted to ignore him, but was too intrigued.

“The hospital? Why?”

“It's Elijah.”

Of course it was. It was always about him.

It didn't surprise him anymore. Ever since it became apparent his half brother was a prodigy, ever since he started college at the mere age of 13, ever since he started his own company, their father was obsessed with him. As if he had forgotten he was the one who left Elijah's mother, he was the one who abandoned his child, as well.

“He jumped in front of a car.”

Mixed feelings.

Gavin finally turned his head to glance over at him, but his feelings were mixed.

A part of him was taken aback, but a part of him saw this coming.

Was he saddened? Concerned?

Or was there this gnawing, malicious thought?

Something along the lines of _Good. He should've succeeded._

Like that would truly return his father to him.

He tried to shake that feeling off.

He hated his brother, but he wasn't sure if he hated him to the point of wishing him death.

He sighed, throwing his backpack to the ground, only grabbing his phone and wallet out of it

“Okay dad, I'm going,” he muttered, grudging.

He wasn't sure why he was needed there. Did he really think he cared? Or was it just that he wanted a shoulder to sob on?

Either way, Gavin was too tired to argue with him. Easier to just go along with it, he thought as he followed him out.

* * *

The lack of press outside the hospital surprised him. Elijah had already made a name for himself in the world so he expected something else.

But on the other hand, a suicide attempt of such a young CEO probably didn't make for a good press. He could imagine they'd try to cover it up

And apparently, they were doing a pretty good job of it.

The hospital was the best one around there and that was something Gavin did expect. He and his father stood out on the corridors, in their cheap clothes and shabby appearances.

No matter how much their father tried, his eldest wasn't too willing to share with him his earnings.

Gavin felt like that was one thing his brother did right.

As they made their way down the corridor, his father was already teary-eyed and babbling something about his poor little Eli.

Count on him to be able to play up the tragedy so well.

When they reached Elijah's hospital room, Gavin immediately tried to spot his brother's mother but she was nowhere to be seen. She had to be somewhere around, he was sure of it, she should've been the first person they called.

Though there was someone else standing outside of the room.

That robot, his brother's creation.

Chloe?

While his father paid the object no mind, Gavin immediately approached it.

He had never before stood face to face with it.

The android remained still, with its back straightened. It seemed so lifeless, except for the slight movement of its eyes. A circle on its forehead was blinking red, but Gavin couldn't tell what that meant.

He furrowed his brows as he looked it over. Its gaze followed him. Was it supposed to do that?

“Why are you here?” he questioned out loud.

He didn't know if it would respond. All the media talked about how Cyberlife's androids, his brother's creations, were supposed to be equipped with the most advanced AIs, capable of behaviour that fooled humans into thinking they were one of them.

So it should react, shouldn't it?

“I'm supposed to be looking after Elijah,” it spoke slowly as if it was measuring its words. As if it wasn't sure how much it could truly say.

Gavin figured it could clear up some of his doubts.

“Where's his mom?”

“His mother?” it repeated, “She's not here. I'm Elijah's emergency contact.”

Oh.

He felt as if he should've expected that, but he truly didn't. He stared the android in the eyes.

Elijah didn't have a good relation with his mother. Really, no one did. It was part of the reason why their father left for another woman, though in doing so he also abandoned his first child.

It shouldn't be that surprising to see the android there rather than the mother.

Gavin got a strange vibe off Chloe. It was so robotic and yet it appeared to be fake, a mask, concern shining through the cracks in its carefully crafted expression. Why would it be concerned? It was a machine, it couldn't feel anything, could it? Just a plastic can designed by his brother.

Yet it seemed so distressed

He shouldn't be feeling bad for it.

“You're scared,” he muttered.

It visibly hesitated, didn't know how to to respond. It acted so human.

“Elijah's well-being is in danger.”

“You could've stopped him.”

“I- wasn't there with him when it happened.” The tone of its voice gave off an underlying message, _I should've been there with him._

Gavin narrowed his eyes at it.

He didn't feel comfortable with it.

It reminded him of what little he knew about his brother. Stoic, quiet, but its gaze swift and anxious.

Ironic, he thought, that a machine reminded him so much of his freak, human brother.

“Gabby.”

Hearing his father's voice, he sighed. He didn't utter anything more to Chloe before he turned his back on it.

He followed his father into Elijah's room.

His brother laid in a bed, just a motionless body plugged in to some machines. He was paler than usual. Like a ghost.

He didn't really know what state he was in. At first glance he didn't appear too bad, he imagined most of the damage was hidden under the sheets. His father talked to the doctors before they went in, but Gavin didn't get a chance to listen in, too precoccupied by the machine.

His features turned dark as he approached the bed.

His father had placed himself in a chair nearby, leaned forward to get closer to his son. It was just the three of them in the room, Gavin didn't see the need for this act.

He stood over the bed, stared at the face of his brother.

A cry for attention. That was how he saw Elijah's attempt. And it worked so well, didn't it? His father immediately came running back to see his poor boy.

Gavin was convinced he wouldn't do the same thing for him. Happy to have the burden off his shoulders, the burden of a messed up child who couldn't stay quiet about his own suffering, who couldn't shine as brightly as Elijah's genius did.

It maddened him, so much.

His fingers curled into fists.

Anger was crawling right under his skin.

It was threatening to crawl out, he was ready to lash out at his brother's unconscious body.

Even a failed suicide attempt was a success for him.

Gavin stormed out of the room with no word said.

He startled Chloe who stared at him with wide eyes.

His gaze was fiery and hateful as he glanced at the machine.

He hated his brother.

He hated all that his brother created.

He hated that all he was was just Elijah Kamski's little sister.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like after all of this, I should note that this chapter does not represent my views on any of the topics mentioned in it. In fact, it was super hard to go against myself when writing this (a nonbinary person that used to have suicidal thoughts now writing about misgendering and hateful remarks about a suicide attempt? fun fun fun). I'm sending virtual hugs or cookies or whatever else you prefer to anyone that feels bad and I'm also always up for talking if someone needs it.


End file.
